Extremely Brief Update of Second Semester

Well, I neglected my blog during my whole second semester in Costa Rica, and now I'm feeling the pressures of updating you all on the many things that I've learned over the past 4 months. I'll try to make it somewhat snappy.

2nd semester was completely amazing. However, it definitely wasn't easy. My first 2 months were extremely rough. But God has clearly been at work in my life (He tends to show up a lot more during our storms, because that is when we are forced to seek and depend on Him.) and in the lives of the people around me.

I guess I would say that my first semester at Portantorchas could be summed up as a new country, new culture, new friends, lots of fun, learning more about God etc. However, after spending 2 months back home and thinking a lot about our futures after Port, I think that we (the other Port students and I) went into our second semester realizing that our experience wasn't going to last forever, that we needed to take advantage of it, and live as though we actually believe that our sole purpose is to live for Christ--not saying that we did that perfectly (because we didn't), but the community atmosphere was so much better 2nd semester. All the guys met every morning before breakfast to pray, and my friendships with a lot of the girls grew so much deeper as we shared in experiences, struggles, good times, and grew together in Christ. I made some of the best friends of my life, and I'll never forget any of them.

It's hard now, because we all are back in our hometowns thousands of miles away from each other, and we know we can never get that particular Portantorchas experience back. But, despite the sadness, we can be happy to know that God doesn't change. As I start this new chapter of my life, so far away from the beautiful experience that I've just had, I know that God is here with me. I know that I don't belong anywhere or with anyone except to a living God who will always give me what I need to get through. And if I continue to seek Him, I know that the journey of life will keep getting better, not easier necessarily, but I know that He has great plans for me.

So, from now on, I will always be missing someone, but God will always be right here with me!

I have so much more to vent about all that I've learned, but I will save all that for another day.